


Stuck

by white_youkai



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-12
Updated: 2013-11-17
Packaged: 2017-12-26 09:07:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/964144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/white_youkai/pseuds/white_youkai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*ON HIATUS* What if Eren decided not to turn back when he put his trust in his companions? What if he flew off in that chosen direction and disappeared from sight? What then?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beyond the Walls – Flee

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Shingeki no Kyojin manga/anime. Hajime Isayama is the one who owns them. I do not own the fandom either. This fan fiction is not a commercial project, and I am not making any money from writing it.
> 
> A/N 1: Spoilers for episode 21.  
> A/N 2: Title might change.  
> A/N 3: Chapters will be ~1.000 words long.  
> A/N 4: Probably, there will be a lot of digressions as I have not read the manga and the anime is not finished yet.  
> A/N 5: Pardon my mistakes as I am not a native speaker. Any beta-reader volunteers?

Eren did not turn back. His eyebrows were set into a frowning fashion but his eyes burned with determination. He shot his 3D Maneuver Gear into motion and confidently rounded the trees – his comrades disappearing from sight. A boom here, a thump there, a groan and a ground shattering thud then clangs of blades – bit by bit the sounds were being muffled and finally died down all together. Eren moved forward with a heavy heart.

“I trust them, they will be fine,” he voiced his hopes and then chanted it over and over in his mind. He weaved between the trees with ease and tried not to think. He tried not to feel… It was impossible though. He cast a quick glance over his right shoulder. The forest was eerily quiet now. His heart was thudding in his chest and the more time passed the more he was becoming agitated.

He was alone. He quickly looked around but there was no-one: no comrades, no Armin, no Mikasa, no birds, no animals, no titans, no L-…

He was suddenly grabbed and whisked in the other direction. Eren’s breath was knocked out of him and it seemed that all thoughts had ceased for a second. Then he found his side pressed against something firm. Eren panicked. He started struggling – his mind still not comprehending what was going on.

“Cease it.”

A few seconds passed and Eren stilled. He knew this monotonous yet calm voice. He flipped the green cape off of his face as it found its way over his head, when the impact took him by surprise. He turned his head slightly to his right and saw the corporal’s back. Eren frowned. At the moment he was being carried in a quite an undignified position: his right hip was pressed into the corporal’s right side against the equipment resting on his thigh and Levi’s hand was circling his torso. Eren’s backside was facing the front while his face was turned towards the back. His eyes widened when the situation caught up with him. He snapped his head away from the corporal’s back and concentrated at the receding branches of trees, fully expecting to see the female titan charging straight at them. A minute or so he held his breath as his eyes frantically scanned the rear – it was quiet.

“Corporal Levi,” he hesitantly started speaking, “why did you… we need to go back. Your squad! They ar-”

“They are dead.”

Eren stilled. “No. They can’t be! They… Hey, let me go!” Eren started struggling anew.

“What will you do brat? Go back and face the titan? Have you not noticed it is after you?”

“Yes, I know, that is why they did not have to die! If I have turned into a titan…”

“They might have lived,” Corporal Levi intoned dryly, “or maybe not, we can only guess now. At the moment, getting you away from the danger takes priority.” He readjusted his hold on Eren’s torso so as not to drop him and added, “Don’t you even think about changing now,” he pointedly clutched him tighter and felt his maneuver gear bite into his right side sharper, “because if you do, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

“Lovely,” Eren snapped at his superior. “Could I perhaps continue traveling with my own gear now?” Eren still couldn’t understand why Levi manhandled him like that.

Just as Levi was about to let him go, a shallow boom was heard. A few seconds later a second boom and a third and a fourth and they were picking up in sound and speed. A moment later the titan woman emerged from the trees and started after them. Levi let out a short curse word and took a sharp turn to the left then to the right, weaving into a denser part of the forest.

“Corporal!” Eren doubled his attempts to free himself. 

Levi cursed as his grip slackened on Eren. “Stop struggling.” 

“Let me go, it will be faster with us both moving with our own gear.”

“Your gas is almost depleted.”

“It will be enough to…” Eren felt how Levi released him without warning and only his good reflexes saved him from plummeting to the ground. He fired the grapple hooks and activated the gas mechanism which left him gliding after his superior. “You could have warned me!”

“Proceed, Yeager. I will delay the titan.”

“Corporal, I am not leaving!” Eren shouted with fire in his eyes. “I will not…”

“Yeager, it is an order.”

Eren pressed his lips into a thin line and his eyebrows dipped down. He did not want to leave his superior fighting the titan alone. He had done it once, placed trust in his team members and now they were dead. He made his decision once and it proved to be the wrong one.

Levi turned around and went to face the female titan. Eren stopped for a second and watched the receding back of the corporal. The ‘Wings of Freedom’ on his green cape rippled and fluttered in the wind as if screaming: ‘I have made my decision and I am free to do what I think is right’. Eren felt torn. He trusted Levi and understood his reasoning, he really did but he could not flee like a scared puppy with his tail between his legs. He squared his shoulders as he made up his mind. Eren put more weight on his right leg and propelled his 3D Maneuver Gear into motion. One swing was all it took for him to land on a thick branch, where he squatted down. He would watch the fight from afar and will not interfere. He took a calming breath and lifted his eyes to follow Levi’s movements. The corporal was moving flawlessly and without any effort it seemed, but he knew better than to assume. The 3D Maneuver Gear was not easy to master – it took a lot of practice and in Levi’s case a lot of experience for him to move like he did. Eren could only marvel at his agility and hope to learn a move or two by carefully watching him. This time, Eren decided, no-one will die.

TBC


	2. Beyond the Walls – Fight

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Shingeki no Kyojin manga/anime. Hajime Isayama is the one who owns them. I do not own the fandom either. This fan fiction is not a commercial project, and I am not making any money from writing it.

* * *

Lance Corporal Levi was glad that he had listened to Chief Irvin, when he told him to resupply before going back to find his team. At that moment he was confused and did not see the reason to do it but after some careful thinking he figured it out on his own: the female titan had probably reverted back to her human form and at the moment was mingling in their ranks, pretending to be one of them. He hastened his movements. There was something thick and foreboding in the air. Chief Irvin was preparing to regroup and the Legion members were swift to oblige and follow his orders. 

Levi separated from the already moving group of people and sped towards the place he had left his team members in. Not even one minute passed after his departure, as he saw a smoke signal – his signal – being fired into the sky. His eyes widened and his pulse quickened. He unconsciously reached for his hip, where the signal flare gun was fastened and confirmed that it was still in place, untouched. He almost growled – it seemed this damned titan was bent on capturing Eren. 

Corporal Levi took a deep breath, pressed his lips into a thin line and shot his grapple hooks into a further tree with a great precision. He swung forward and let the momentum steer him. Soon he was almost flying through the woods, trees blurring before his eyes. He released the hooks and they reeled back in while he did a few somersaults and quickly turned his body to the left. He shot the grapple hooks out once again, activated gas mechanism and the flight continued. His speed increased. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something weaving through the trees on his right. Taking a better look, he glimpsed Mikasa, Eren’s friend he assumed. She was moving towards the same direction as him; their goal probably being the same – to reach Eren and the team. He moved away from her line of sight without losing speed or direction – there was no need to alert her of his presence.

Levi reached the battle ground first. He saw his team captain hanging from a branch like a ragdoll – dead. A little further he found his other team members – also dead. Apparently, the female titan had reverted back into her titan-self. He gritted his teeth, eyes shadowing in suppressed anger and helplessness. He cast one last glance as if saying good bye to his old friends and team members. His eyes lingered on Petra. Soft breeze was brushing her hair and she looked almost peaceful, lying there, hugging the tree… Just her glassy eyes, void of emotion and life that stared into nothingness and streaks of blood marring her face ruined the peaceful image. The corporal turned away. He wanted to scream, to shout, to rage all over but it was not the time or place for it. He swung forward again, his 3D Maneuver Gear whirring softly as if opposing his mood. 

He was speeding through the forest, hoping to find Eren. The boy was not among the dead, therefore probably still alive. Captured or still on the run, he could only guess. After about two minutes of weaving through the trees he saw the enemy. It was engaged in a battle: swatting around with its hands and kind of ‘dancing’ in a small clearing. He was about to charge in and attack it, when he saw that it was fighting not Eren but Mikasa. The girl probably managed to catch up with the titan and interrupted its advances. Mikasa swept at its legs with double blades and made the titan fall to its knees, shaking the forest ground in the process.

Levi made a decision then. He turned away from the women engaged in a fight and took flight once again. In about one minute he saw Eren taking a turn behind some trees. Corporal Levi did not hesitate; he snatched the young soldier by his torso and proceeded carrying him without losing any speed.

Levi did not show it in any way but he was glad the brat was safe and sound. He would never admit it out loud but he liked the youth. The lad had this fire and conviction in him. He was just as determined as he himself was; they both wanted to rid the world of the titans.

After a short conversation with Eren he was about to release him and tell him the reason he steered him away from his course, when they heard loud thumping sounds and soon after, they saw the accursed female titan emerging from behind the trees. Levi could not stop the curse that left his mouth. He was hoping Mikasa could delay it longer. Now he had no choice but to fight it. He ordered Eren to get the hell away from here and faced the persistent enemy. Still airborne, he drew his blades, released the hooks and spun in the momentum, making the spins look faster than they were. His blades made contact and cut the titan’s upper arm. It grunted. Levi perched on its arm and embedded his blade in its flesh, to help him gain firmer ground.

“Did you come back to get your arms and legs cut off?” He taunted the female titan remembering his monologue with her in her captivity.

She snarled and swung her other arm at Levi, who at that moment aimed and shot the hook at her left leg, swinging away from her arm. She caught herself at the right moment so as not to punch herself and jumped kicking out her leg.

Levi was just in time to reattach the hook to a tree and round back on the now angry titan. He managed to get multiple attacks on her, slashing here and there, trying to do as much damage as he could. He had to be honest to himself – he could not kill it. All he could do – was wound it and hinder its movements enough to escape with Eren and mask their tracks. With this thought he attacked its limbs with vigor, slashing as hard and as deep as he could without breaking his blades or his own neck. 

The female titan fell on her knees for the second time that day as Levi attacked the back of her knees over and over again. She was becoming more and more irritable as the corporal buzzed around her like a fly, when finally, she snapped. She swung her hand out and struck. The corporal was in the middle of a manoeuvre, airborne, vulnerable and caught unprepared. He dipped to the side but there was not enough time to completely avoid the hit so he braced himself for the incoming impact. A second later he dropped to the ground like a sack of rice. A sharp pain shot through his back and Levi saw varicoloured dots dancing before his eyes. He sucked in a sharp breath of air and wondered, _what now?_

TBC


	3. Beyond the Walls – Stay Calm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **starrose25:** Thank you for the comment. This is the nicest of all I have received for this story. *hugs tightly* Of course, Levi will be ok... hopefully ^_^ Thank you again for the wonderful comment and now u can go ahead and see who helps poor Levi.

* * *

Corporal Levi was managing just fine until that strike. The female titan was probably not only exhausted but on the verge of exploding in anger as well. 

Eren straightened up from his crouching position on the tree branch when he saw Levi crash into the ground. His fingers curled up into fists. He noticed how the corporal tried to move but then stilled as if he were in pain. There was no time to waste so Eren sprung up into action, he jumped down the tree and bit hard into his hand. It was high time he followed his heart and did what he thought was right.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Levi knew he had to move, and fast. He rolled to the side ignoring the pain in his back as well as blood in his mouth. He was just in time as the female titan’s fist smashed into the ground where his body had been seconds ago. Levi took a few hurried steps forward. He needed to get away. He clutched at his side as it was getting hard to breathe.

Suddenly there was a bright light and he felt his whole body tingle. He looked up, shielding his eyes from the light. A second later he was tossed two meters up into the air.

“Oh hell!” Levi cursed as he unceremoniously dropped back down. He grunted and scrambled away. He turned around just in time to dodge a huge foot that clamped down with such force that he would have been splattered into a puddle of bloody goo if he hadn’t moved in time. 

When Levi found a moment to take in his surroundings, he saw two titans in a handhold. He scowled and his eyes shadowed.

“Eren?” He called out to the now transformed soldier. There was no sign of recognition from the green-eyed titan. Levi cursed. Now he had two titans to deal with. Not that he was being attacked at the moment, far from it. The duo did not pay any attention to him whatsoever. 

He weighed his options. He was not the best tactician and at the moment he was not in his best condition either. He took a shuddering breath and watched the two giants exchange blows. It seemed Eren was stronger than the female titan, though he made a lot of unnecessary movements and relied on his strength too much. At the rate it was going, Eren was going to lose. 

Levi had only one option left – he had to gain Eren’s attention, make him KO the female titan and somehow turn him back to his human self. The corporal sighed – _and stay alive in the process_ – he added in his mind. He checked his gas containers; there was a little less than half left. Levi took a deep breath and shot the grapple hooks into a nearby tree. He let them reel back in, which resulted in him being lifted up as well. He grunted in pain. This did not look good. Once he was perched on a tree, he jumped down with iron wires holding him steady and swung up behind the transformed Eren.

“Eren!” He called out. “Eren, you need to–” Levi swung and landed on Eren’s right shoulder. _I must be mad_ , he thought to himself. “You need to finish this soon.” He looked up at the huge face profile on his right. “Do you understand me, Eren?” 

Suddenly Levi had to search for something to hold on to because the female titan packed a punch and Eren dodged it, swiftly moving to the left. The momentum threw Levi into the shifter’s cheek. He somehow managed to grab a handful of black hair and held on. A moment later he found his footing but did not let go of the strands.

“Eren,” he tried again, “do not make me kill you.” He threatened the titan, which sounded somewhat empty in this situation. He felt a slight rumble ripple through the huge body. Levi blinked. “Did you just–”

There was no time to finish the thought as the female titan attacked again, her fist heading straight for Levi. He was about to jump down to avoid the punch, when a whoosh of air almost swept him off his feet. Eren stopped the fist with his left hand – the impact sending a wave of compressed air towards the initial target.

“Well done, brat,” he complimented the titan-shifter, slapping none too gently, a few times on his ear in a congratulatory fashion.

Eren dropped down and kicked out his leg. He caught the female titan in the chin, sending her flying. Once she was on her back and momentarily dazed, Eren quickly straddled her, effectively immobilizing the female, drew back his hand and punched. Hard. There was a sickening crunch and a splatter of hot blood.

“That was–” Levi said wiping the already steaming blood off from his face, “an impressive KO.” 

Eren grunted as if acknowledging the statement and moved to stand up.

“We need to move out,” Levi intoned dryly, still comfortably perched on Eren’s shoulder and gripping his hair.

Eren did not move an inch. After some time he squatted near the fallen titan and reached out.

“Hey–” Levi frowned and actually kicked Eren on his cheek. “What do you think you are doing?”

The shifter turned his green eyes to settle on the corporal.

“We are getting out of here, it is an order, Eren,” Levi narrowed his eyes at the titan, that was glowering back at him. “You have disobeyed my previous orders, do not dare to–”

Eren interrupted the corporal’s words as he reached out with his left hand and attempted to pick up the corporal from his right shoulder.

Levi acted immediately; he reached out to draw his blades, just to remember that during the unfortunate fall they broke. He stilled.

Eren’s fingers hovered above the corporal; he hesitated, then removed his hand, stood up and ran, leaving the fallen titan lying on the ground.

Levi had to clutch the strands again so as not to be blown away. After some time he decided it was far enough and stopped Eren’s progress.

Once again, Eren reached out with his left hand and this time picked Levi up by the uniform’s collar, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. He gently sat the corporal down on the ground. 

Levi did not say a word just watched him move further back and discard the titan body. Eren stumbled out of the carcass and came up to the brooding corporal.

“Corporal, we should have–” he did not have enough time to finish as Levi’s fist knocked him out cold. 

TBC


	4. Missing in Action – Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N: I am searching for a beta-reader! Any volunteers?**
> 
>  
> 
>    
> Thank you a lot for kudos and comments:  
>  **LittleNumbers:** *chuckles* glad you liked it  
>  **SolSermisiere:** here you go, wrote some more xD  
>  **shadowfox3163:** I am truly happy you like my story so far.  To answer your questions – no, Mikasa should be alive, out there, somewhere. And well, Levi knew that Eren wanted to capture the human… it’s just that the evil author, wanted to get Eren and Levi to be alone. I will address that question in the next chapter, probably. :3

* * *

Levi looked down at the sprawled out teenager on the ground and cursed. He ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated motion and let out a long sigh that rattled a little at the end. The kid managed to rill him up again and made him act without thinking first. Now he was stuck in the middle of the forest with an unconscious soldier to take care of; when he himself was barely standing. 

Levi looked around. They were deep in the forest by the looks of it. The sun was getting lower and the trees cast long shadows on the grassy ground. They needed to find a shelter. There was no way they could make it back to the other Legion members in time. Why? First, they would need a horse in order to do it, which they did not have. Secondly, their gas was almost depleted. Thirdly without a horse in an open field, they were as good as dead.

They were stuck in this god forsaken forest. Irwin will probably declare them MIA and will hope for the best. Besides, he knew for sure that Irwin will not send in any troops to find them – at least not today. They were left to their own devices.

Levi glanced back down at the teen that had not moved an inch. “Damned brat,” he muttered under his breath, but his tone was not angry. He scanned his surroundings once more and found what he was looking for. There, a dozen meters or so away, was a small mountain protruding from the treetops. They had to get there while the sun was still up. 

Levi squatted down, took Eren’s left arm and tugged him up into a sitting position – his body boneless like a noodle. He slung Eren’s limp arm over his shoulder and attempted to lift him up. 

The attempt ended up with them both on the ground. Levi cursed and heaved a pained breath. It seemed they were not moving an inch until the brat regained consciousness. Resigned, the corporal dragged the unconscious teen under a tree and sat down himself. All he could do now was wait and hope that no titan will go this way.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Eren groaned. His body was all sore and his nose felt itchy. He reached up to scratch it. A soft breeze wafted through his face and he frowned. A minute later he shot up into a sitting position all alert.

“Oh, you are finally up.”

Eren looked to his right and saw Corporal Levi casually sitting on the ground.

“What… what happened?”

“Don’t tell me that punch has damaged your brain,” the corporal intoned with a bored expression on his face.

Eren scratched his nose that had almost healed and tried to remember. He cast a glance at the corporal, who was still looking at him with an impatient gaze.

“Umm…” Eren was not sure what to say. He was not sure why he had been punched that time and he was not eager to get punched again.

“We need a shelter for the night,” Levi broke the uncomfortable silence. “That mountain should suffice,” he said jerking his chin towards the aforementioned mountain and slowly got to his feet.

Eren scrambled after his superior, who was already moving towards the mountain. Only now did he notice how late it was. The sun was almost hidden in the horizon and the forest was shrouded in a greyish black colour. 

“Come on, brat, the sun is almost down.”

“Y-yes.” 

Minutes ticked by and after some time they managed to reach the foot of the mountain, which now looked much more impressive than it looked from the distance.

“Right,” Levi muttered to himself, “a cave, preferably uninhabited and a clean one,” his eyes darted around in search of something passable.

Eren stayed silent. He tried to make sense of today’s events but everything still seemed like a blur. Everyone was dead – their squad was dead. His breath hitched and eyes closed shut. He took a calming breath and glanced at the corporal, who had just spotted an acceptably looking cave and started climbing towards it. 

“Sir, wouldn’t it be faster if we used 3DMG?” 

Levi shot him a glare but considered the suggestion anyway. Finally he shook his head negatively, “No, the grapple hooks will not attach to these rocks, they are too hard.”

Eren nodded, not that Levi saw him do it. They proceeded climbing in silence and once they reached the cave, they went inside to inspect. Eren navigated them further into the dark cave, blades ready just in case. He almost jumped in fright, when all of a sudden light flooded the dark space. He turned around and saw Levi holding up a lighter in his hand. Levi’s eyebrow arched as if asking why did you stop?

They went further in and after confirming that the cave was uninhabited breathed in relief. 

A moment later Eren dashed towards the cave entrance, earning a frown from Levi, which eased out when the boy returned with a thick and dry branch in his hands. 

“We should light it,” Eren said as he situated the branch on the ground. “The cave bends to the right and the light should not be visible from the outside.”

“Hn, good thinking,” Levi tossed the lighter at Eren, who clumsily caught it – almost burning his fingers in the process. “Do it.”

While Eren was concentrating on the branch Levi unclasped his gear and put it aside. He removed his green cape, folded it and put it down beside the discarded 3DMG. His brown jacket and cravat followed suit. He started working on his straps.

Eren cleared his throat and Levi’s movements stopped. 

“I have lit the branch.”

“Should I give you a pat on the head for a job well done?”

Eren simply sighed and dismissed the question. He did not want to get into a pointless argument with the corporal. Instead, he followed Levi’s example and removed his gear with the cape. He cast one more glance at Levi and flopped down on the ground to sit cross-legged. 

Levi during that time finished dealing with his clasps and started unbuttoning his shirt.

Eren cleared his throat again, “Why are you undressing, sir?”

“Because I probably have a fucking rib broken?” hissed Levi at the stupid question and hastily attempted to pull his shirt off, wincing as the movement caused him pain.

Eren got up from his position, “I am sorry, I did not realise,” he said in a whisper. “Would you let me look at it?”

Levi turned around, eyes blazing with anger, ready to retort that he did not need any help from a brat but then just sighed and looked away from the teen. His nerves were frying from the day’s events and he wanted to just… forget everything. Eren was still looking at him with worry in his eyes.

“Look Yeager,” he started but then seemed at a loss of what to say.

“Sir, it was a hard day today. We are both stressed and at the moment I am probably even more of an idiot than I usually am,” he said with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes, “and I am willing to admit it. I am tired and I am worried too.” He looked up to see that the corporal was listening and continued, “I cannot say that I know how you feel or what you think at this moment but I just…” Eren swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat and continued, “I can just say that we are both in this situation and we need to somehow get along?” He lifted his questioning eyes and met Levi’s grey, calculating ones. “I know we had losses today… you even more so than I,” He whispered the last sentence breaking the eye contact with the corporal and then frowned. “I am actually not sure what I wanted to say… I started rambling.”

That earned him a huff from the stoic corporal but Levi’s shoulders relaxed. 

“That was a poor attempt at lightening the mood,” Levi said, “but it actually worked,” he admitted softly. “Come here,” he motioned for the boy to come over and when he did he shrugged out of the shirt completely. “Could you–”

“Sure,” Eren took the shirt that Levi gave him and folded it, placing it atop the pile of corporal’s clothes. He turned back to the man, “We should move closer to the light.”

Levi complied and walked over to the branch that was crackling in the middle of the cave. Once he was close enough he turned to Eren, who tentatively reached out and prodded here and there, carefully watching Levi’s face for any indication of pain. When the corporal’s eye twitched, he pressed a bit harder, which earned him a pained grunt.

“Sorry, I just need to make sure.”

“Hn.”

After some more inspection Eren straightened up. “I don’t think it is broken, but it might be fractured,” he diagnosed. “Do we have any bandages?” 

“Not that I know of.”

“Right…” Eren looked around searching for something to use as a replacement. Not finding any, he went to his discarded cape and ripped it into stripes, earning a displeased look from Levi. Eren just shrugged it off and bound the bruised torso, being mindful of the injury. Once he was finished, Levi put his shirt back on, and settled down with his back against the wall. They did not say much to each other afterwards. Levi closed his eyes in hopes to get at least a few hours of sleep.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Levi's character is getting out of hand... He softened on me! *screams* Oh well.... He is stressed.... And damn, Eren is stuttering... xD
> 
> I actually did not mean to break or fracture Levi's rib but it just happened... When I looked up the symptoms of the broken rib (while writing chapter 4) I found out that the poor baby broke it at the end of the 2nd chapter xD damn. So "doctor Eren" diagnosed just fracture to lessen Levi's suffering.
> 
> Ok, I should probably shut up now... xD


	5. Missing in Action – Stuck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren have a moment

* * *

Levi woke with a start. At first he was disoriented, not quite understanding where he was or what had woken him up. His eyes blinked blearily trying to will the sleep away. 

During the night his body probably slumped against the wall, his head lolling to the side as his neck was all cramped now. He straightened his back and had to suppress a groan at the stiff muscles and pain that shot from his fractured rib.

There was a slight rumble in the cave and Levi stilled, trying to understand what had caused it. A minute or so later there was another rumble and the cave ground shook slightly.

Suddenly there was a clang in the still chamber followed by a yelp of pain. Levi turned to his left. Eren was rubbing his head in a soothing motion and glaring at the gear that probably fell after the slight ground movement and impacted with his head. 

“Hey,” Levi addressed the boy with a sleep-laden voice. 

“Oh, Corporal, did… did you sleep well?”

“Better than ever, Yeager,” Levi stated, sarcasm dripping off his every word.

Eren sheepishly scratched the back of his head then opened his mouth to say something but a loud thump interrupted him.

“Uh… the tremors are too short to be earthquakes so it leaves only titans,” Eren summarized as if thinking out loud and not talking to Levi.

The corporal did not reply, having reached the same conclusion. He got up to his feet and his green cape with his customary jacket fluttered down to the ground. Levi’s eyes locked on the crumpled clothing. He could not remember putting them on.

“The night was cold,” Eren answered the unvoiced question. “I took the liberty of covering you, sir.”

Levi just hummed his answer and bent down to pick up the small pile at his feet. He winced and his breath hitched for a second but he straightened up with his clothes in one hand.

“How are you feeling, sir?”

“Like I have a broken rib?”

“It is just a fracture.”

“Feels the same,” he fingered the material of his clothing and his nose wrinkled a little. He needed a bath and so did his clothes. He was filthy, Eren looked filthy, their clothes were filthy and the freaking cave was also filthy. There was nothing he could do though. He suppressed a sigh.

Eren watched Levi dress with a frown and a scrunched up nose. He decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

After some shuffling around, rewrapping homemade body wrap and getting their gear back on, the two now stood at the cave entrance. Levi peeked out from around the corner of the entrance and quickly tucked his head back in.

Eren noticed a deeper frown settling over the corporal’s features and assumed that their situation was not too good.

“Sir?”

“There are at least three seven meter class with four fourteen meter class titans,” Levi intoned impassively. “There is one deviant type as well.”

“Great…” Eren leaned on the rough wall. “What now?”

“We switch to Plan B.”

“We have a Plan B?”

“Apparently so.”

“Um… So what was Plan A?”

“To get the hell away from this cave.”

“I see, and Plan B?”

“To get the hell away from this cave.”

“Then how is Plan A different from Plan B?”

“By Eren Yeager not making through Plan B because he is talking too much.”

There was a slight pause.

“You are talkative today, corporal.”

“Shut up,” Levi pulled away from the wall and went back inside the cave. “Come on.”

Eren followed his corporal without another word. They passed the chamber they stayed in the previous night and continued further down the path as the chamber was not a dead end. There were paths leading deeper into the mountain.

Levi maneuvered through the narrow tunnel that seemed to dip down and after some time tilt back up leading them further and further into the mountain. Levi was holding his lighter up to illuminate the uneven and damp walls. 

After what seemed like a good half hour they reached a dead end.

“Shit,” Levi furrowed his brow, “all right, we go back to the last crossroad and take a different path.”

The other tunnel also ended with a dead end and the pair was left to wander around for quite some time. After good two or three hours they finally saw an exit. When no titans appeared outside of the cave, Levi deemed it safe to move out. 

They descended the mountain. Levi stood rigidly and his eyes scanned the surroundings. 

“Something is not right.”

“Um, we should get going. This is a pretty open space and 3DMG won’t work too well.”

“You think I do not know that?”

“Sir–”

There was no time to finish as they heard and felt booming footsteps approach their location.

“Dammit!” Levi was about to take off towards the forest that was not too far away, when Eren grabbed him by the wrist and tugged him towards the mountain foot.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“Shelter.”

“What shelter?” 

“I saw a cave when descending.”

The steps were nearly upon them when Levi was suddenly squeezed into a narrow space finding himself between a rough, cold wall and Eren’s warm chest.

Levi blinked. He was about to remark how stupid this was when the loud steps and big feet passed them by. The corporal stayed silent and after some time let out a breath that he did not know he was holding.

“Um, I think it passed us by.”

“You think?” Levi angrily mouthed to the boy.

Eren startled at the angry tone. He looked down at the corporal and only now did he notice how close they actually were. Eren did not pay attention to the size of the cave when he squeezed inside to just escape from the titan. The cave, if it even could be called a cave, was tiny. They just barely fit in there and he felt how the rough wall bit into his back. 

Levi was in no better condition it seemed. His back was also flush against the wall and their chests were touching. 

“The titan has lef–” Suddenly a foot appeared right before their tiny cave and they both stilled. 

Soon, more thuds were heard and the duo was sure that more titans appeared in the vicinity. They were stuck. Literally stuck in a cramped, small place where their chests were glued to one another.

“Good job, Yeager,” Levi hissed at the teen and the boy cringed. 

“That was not my intention, sir.”

“I do not give a damn about your intentions!” 

“Still better than being caught by a titan,” Eren tried to reason with a sheepish smile on his face. He received a glare in return.

“Just shut up before I kick you.”

“There is not enough space for kicking, sir.”

“Now you notice the lack of space,” Levi ground out, while his eyes were trained on the huge foot outside of their confinement. The leg moved away after a while but the area was still booming with titan footsteps. “All we can do now is wait and hope that none of them will notice us. If they do, however, we are dead meat.”

And so they waited, for nearly five or even six hours.

Eren’s back was sore. The position was not very comfortable. He tried not to lean on the corporal too much. He had to admit though that he was probably doing better than the corporal. Corporal’s rib was most certainly giving him a hard time even though he did not show it. It had to be painful, staying in the same position for hours. Not to mention their gear that was digging into their thighs without mercy.

The metallic sheaths aligned themselves along their outer thighs and the straps were pulling quite tight. Eren was sure they were to leave bruises.

Eren shifted his weight to his other leg and inched a little forward. He felt a sharp rock finally dislodge from his back and he almost sighed in relief.

Levi also took the chance to rearrange his limbs in the minimal space he had. When he turned slightly to his left his breath hitched and he unwillingly let out a small hiss of pain, which attracted Eren’s attention.

“Are you all right, sir?” The boy whispered in concern.

“I will live,” was the short, clipped answer from the corporal. He felt Eren shift again. 

Levi frowned. The teen started shifting more frequently in the last hour. And sure enough a few minutes later he felt him move yet again. This time the teen somehow managed to squeeze in his knee between Levi’s legs. 

Levi’s eyes immediately snapped to Eren’s face. The teen had his eyes closed and his brow was furrowed. It did not seem that the brat did it intentionally. The gesture was innocent but Levi felt like getting away from Eren’s leg.

He was too late though as Eren started fidgeting again. It probably was an unconscious movement on his part. Hell, the boy was probably even not aware of his leg’s position. Unfortunatelly, Levi was only a man. His body started reacting to the barely there friction. He closed his eyes, leaned his head against the rough surface of the cave wall and tried to ignore the teen’s presence. It was not working though. 

“Stop it!” Levi finally snapped at the teen, who jumped from the unexpected command.

“Um, stop what, sir?”

“Stop fidgeting, dammit.”

“Oh…” Eren looked flustered. “I am sorry”

The fidgeting ended for the moment but the harm was already done. Levi willed his body to calm down. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Eren fidgeted again.

“Sorry,” he meekly apologised when Levi glared at him. “I just… I need… I mean, I… I need to use the bushes.”

“For crying out loud,” Levi groaned frustrated, “just hold it in.”

“I am trying to, sir” Eren said embarrassed but shifted once again, accidentally brushing his upper thigh against Levi’s crotch. Eren froze as the movement caused the shorter man to moan. The sound was barely above the whisper but he heard it.

He was confused. Why would Levi… Oh. Eren suddenly became aware of the position of his leg. He felt how his heart skipped a beat and heat started spreading across his cheeks. He wanted to remove his leg but there was not enough space for movement and more movement would probably annoy the corporal. Besides, he was not sure he truly wanted to remove his leg from its current position. The heat on his cheeks spread at the thought. 

He decided to ignore this whole situation as best as he could and simply wait it out. It was easier said than done though. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears and suddenly he felt hot, as if there was not enough air in the little cave. Eren soon became aware of his leg inching closer to the corporal. 

“Eren?” There was a warning in Levi’s tone and the teenager gulped.

“Sorry,” the boy choked out the apology that came out barely as a whisper. He could feel how his pants tightened. 

He could not believe this was happening. He was pressed against no-one other but the strict Corporal Levi and they both were getting aroused. This was just… strange and unbelievable. He could attribute his own reaction to the teenager hormones but what about Levi? 

He looked down at the corporal, who once again had his eyes closed. Eren marvelled at the pale face and felt a tug in his heart. He leaned in a little and slid his leg firmer between the corporal’s legs. 

A low moan slipped from Levi’s mouth before he could stop it. “What–”

“Sorry,” Eren whispered in Levi’s ear, warm breath ghosting over the outer shell. 

“Don’t start humping me brat,” Levi’s tone was harsh but there was an undertone signifying some concealed emotion.

“I am not planning to. It’s just that I…” Eren could not stop a moan of his own. His mind was getting clouded. He no longer knew what he was doing. Not that he cared. He wanted to… he did not really know what he wanted but he knew that he was aroused. He knew that Levi was aroused, if the bulge in his pants was any indication.

“Hey,” Levi started but his lips couldn’t form another word as he felt Eren’s lips against his neck, just below his left ear. 

Levi instinctively jerked his head to the right and away from the burning touch, “Don’t.”

“But, sir, we are both–”

“It is just a simple physical reaction to the proximity of another person.”

“Are you saying that you get aroused being in the room full of people?”

“Damn,” Levi took a breath and continued, “it is not that and you know it. It is–“

Eren did not listen; he pulled away from Levi’s neck and went straight for his lips. He saw how Levi’s eyes widened just a tiny bit in surprise and then the man turned his head away, denying the contact.

“Eren, it is safe.”

“Hm?”

“The titans are gone.”

Eren’s head snapped to the tiny cave entrance and noticed that it was already dark outside. Titans probably left to wherever they went when they needed sleep during the dark hours of the night.

Levi squirmed away from the teenager and somehow managed to squeeze out of their confinement. Shortly after, Eren emerged from the cave and almost immediately dashed towards the tree line, probably to relieve himself. The heated moment between the two, seemed to have never happened.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, sorry for the late update, but hey, the chapter is twice as long as the previous ones xD   
> I have to confess, I am a miserable writer who tends to slack off. Sorries again *bows*


	6. Missing in Action – Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's dream comes true... Water! *chuckles*

The night was restless. Neither spoke about what had happened in that tiny cave, unanimously making the subject a taboo. 

Once Eren returned from the bushes, they decided to advance during the night and rest during the day. Decision made – they moved forward.

After hours of walking they stumbled upon a group of dead soldiers, or to be more precise, of what was left of them. A hand here, a leg there, a bite of flesh on the muddy ground with a topping of filthy red ground from the dried blood. Eren gulped and shifted his eyes away from the gruesome sight. Levi, on the other hand, marched steadily forward and kneeled near a discarded rucksack in the middle of the field. 

“Eren,” he said without turning to look at the boy, “check the other bags and if you find anything useful, take it.”

“Yes, sir,” steeling himself Eren approached another rucksack and started ransacking. 

The pair silently inspected the discarded packages and gathered the needed supplies. They managed to find some water and food rations. Only half of the food was eatable but it was still better than none. A few blankets, some bandages and another lighter found their way into the rucksack along with the food and other stuff they deemed necessary.

When the sack was full, Levi lifted it up, ready to sling it over his shoulder but grunted as his fractured rib shifted at the weight. 

“Let me, sir,” Eren reached out to take the bag from the corporal. 

Levi hesitated for a moment but relinquished his hold on the heavy burden, which Eren hoisted up on his back with ease. A few minutes later they were moving again, this time in search of a suitable shelter for the day.

After an hour or so they found a cave that thankfully was bigger than their last one and to Levi’s relief, further inside the cave, they found a little pool of slightly warm water. 

Almost immediately he started shedding his gear and clothes, eyes never leaving the rippling water.

Eren had to hide a smile at the eagerness the corporal displayed. He put away their new-found supplies and cast a quick glance around their new “room”. A few minutes later he nodded his head in approval, straightened up and exited the cave to find some dry branches.

When he came back, he found Levi submerged in the water his back facing Eren. He was fervently rubbing his hands and chest, trying to wash off all the grime from his skin. 

Eren felt how his eyes latched on the muscular back that was turned to him and his cheeks grew warmer. His mind being ever so helpful supplied him with the images of their bodies pressed together in the confining space, reminding how good it felt to be so close to the corporal, and… 

A loud clatter echoed in the otherwise silent cave and Levi jumped in his little ‘bathtub’, water sloshing to the sides.

“The fuck, Yeager!” he snapped at the teenager, who immediately bent down to pick up the branch that fell on the ground. He hoped that Levi did not notice his burning face. “Put the wood down and haul your ass over here. You are sorely in need of a bath. You are filthy.”

Eren dumped the load off of his hands and started walking towards the corporal. His steps faltered though, as he neared the pool. He suddenly was not sure if it was such a good idea to bathe with the older man.

Levi heard the footsteps come to a halt and looked up at the teenager, who was now standing not too far from the water. Eren was avoiding his eyes and not making a move to remove his clothes. 

“What is it?” Levi was tempted to massage his throbbing temples. “Get your ass into the water.”

“Sir,” Eren licked his suddenly dry lips, “I do not think it is such a good idea.”

“You are filthy, Yeager, and it is disgusting.”

“I, I know, sir, but–”

“Yeager,” Levi lifted his eyes to meet the turquoise ones. He opened his mouth to reprimand the youth about the sanitary reasons, when it suddenly clicked. The boy was blushing furiously and looked ready to bolt at any moment given. The events at the tiny cave came rushing back and Levi broke the eye contact, mouth snapping shut. An awkward silence settled between the two.

“I will take my bath when you are done with yours, sir.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I’ll go… make myself useful,” with that Eren excused himself and went back to the pile of wood.

Levi followed his retreating back. He felt his head throb in an uncomfortable way and this time he did rub his temples in soothing circles. Eren started organizing the branches, readying them for a fire. The teenager was… pure, for the lack of a better word. Sure he was rash, short tempered and easily angered; however, he was also courageous, dedicated, loyal and stubborn. 

Levi closed his eyes. The youth’s reactions were always refreshing. Levi had to admit that he liked seeing Eren flustered. From time to time he enjoyed teasing the boy and eliciting these wonderful responses. Right now, though, was neither time nor place for teasing. 

At the moment he was stuck with the kid – outside of the walls, in the titan infested territory. He was responsible for the teen, had to look after him and make sure the boy survived this little detour. _Humanity’s Hope_ – Levi almost snorted at the title. The boy was a brat, not hope; A person, not a symbol. Yet no-one understood it, no-one cared enough. The brat was expected to carry this heavy burden – the expectation, which varied from person to person, from squad to squad, from legion to legion... And in the end it was not even clear what was expected of him.

Levi knew what it meant to be a symbol first hand. He knew what it meant to have a title placed upon one’s head. _Humanity’s Strongest_ – was the title placed upon him. Levi got it due to his hot-headedness, hard work and, of course, strength. Alongside the wonderful name came responsibilities. He was held in high esteem so he was expected to deliver good results. He was also responsible for the lives of his squad… A team that no longer existed. Erd, Auruo, Gunter… Petra. They all had families. Families that awaited for their return at this very moment. 

He was supposed to be there, with them. He had to lead them, he had to protect them, he had to save their lives, he had to…

He felt how his heart gave a painful throb and he had to swallow a lump that bubbled up in his throat. He slowly exhaled trying to remain calm and breathed in. The air got stuck. Suddenly it seemed he could not breathe anymore. His eyes stung and his vision blurred.

Another loud clatter and a muffled _sorry_ reached his ears, the sound snapping him out of the episode. He could breathe again. Levi took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had to be strong – if not for himself, then at least for the brat. He wasted no time: finished his bath in a couple of minutes and stepped out from the water. He reached for his trousers but his hand faltered. The clothes were filthy. He weighed his options. 

“Eren, toss me a blanket.”

Eren looked up from the sack he was currently rummaging through and had to hastily avert his eyes from the corporal. 

“Um, sure,” he snatched one of the blankets and tossed it to Levi, who caught it effortlessly and wound it around his narrow hips, making a long skirt out of it.

“What?”

“Hm?”

“You are staring.”

“I, I did not mean to stare, sorry,” cheeks burning, Eren turned his head back to the sack.

“Hm,” Levi hummed thoughtfully. “Get your ass into the water and wash all that filth from your body.

Without a word Eren complied. He soon dipped himself into the pool and started rubbing his hands and torso. He worked fast and in fifteen minutes or so he was finished. Eren was about to put on his pants, when a blanket landed on his head, obscuring his vision. 

“Put this on for now, your clothes need to be washed.”

Eren was not in the mood to argue and the idea of clean clothes was quite appealing. He mimicked Levi by making a long skirt out of the blanket and bent down to pick up his dirty clothes. Once the pile was in his hands he kneeled and bent over the edge of the pool. Eren dumped his clothes in and swished them from side to side.

“Wash them thoroughly,” Levi said joining him at the edge and tossing his own clothes in the water. They remained silent throughout the washing time. 

Once the clothes were done and drying on a branch near the wall, Levi asked Eren to help him with bandages. Afterwards, they ate a little portion of the food they managed to gather, shared a water canteen and tidied up the place for the night, or day in their case. Two more blankets found their way on the floor and the two men fell asleep.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Once again Levi woke with a start. He did not know what it was that had woken him up. After some time of just lying on the ground and listening to the sounds, he got up and pulled on his trousers. They were still a bit damp but he paid no heed. His white shirt and brown jacket followed the suit. As he was putting his boots on he heard heavy footsteps booming outside of their cave. 

Suddenly a roar split the silence. A lot more thuds followed, shaking the ground. Levi glanced at Eren, who actually managed to sleep through all this hustle. The corporal shook his head in disbelief and made his way to the cave entrance.

What he saw outside, however, had him running back inside the cave. He kicked Eren lightly in the side and the teen woke with a start.

“Wha–”

“Get up, we need to get out of here.”

“Why?” Eren sat up rubbing his eyes. 

“Just move your fucking ass! We have no time,” Levi tossed Eren’s damp clothes at the still sleepy teenager and hauled him to his feet. “Dress,” he stressed with a firm voice.

Eren dressed in record time and was about to put on the straps holding the gear when all of a sudden the cave shook with such force that the two occupants stumbled around it in search for something to hold on to. 

“What is going on?” Eren asked the corporal, who managed to pick up the rucksack and stuff their blankets into it. He swung it over his shoulder ignoring the pain in his ribs.

“Two titans are fighting outside. It is just a matter of time before one of them falls on this cave and crushes it.”

“What do we–”

“There are more titans gathering around. The occurrence itself is unnatural. They never fought against each other before. Anyway, we need to get out. Outside there are no trees so 3DMG is useless, which leaves us only one choice.”

“Which is?”

“Eren, are you in full control when you transform?”

“I… I do not know, sir.” Eren stammered a little surprised by the question. “When I transformed last time I was fully in control. I cannot guarantee that I will be now but–”

“I order you to turn into a titan and get us out of here, preferably alive.”

Eren stared at Levi as if he had grown a second head.

“Eren, NOW! Just pretend that it is training.”

Without breaking the eye contact with Levi, Eren hesitantly brought his right hand against his mouth.

There was a loud boom and the cave started collapsing.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still searching for a beta reader... *almost looses any hope*
> 
>  
> 
> First of all, I am sooo thankful you guys read my story *hugs all* Though, sorry Levi and Eren's relationship is moving so slowly. But they will get there, eventually.
> 
> Secondly, I think I should have edited this chapter a bit more but dunno... after reading and editing it for 5 times, I thought what the hell...


	7. Missing in Action – Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi continues to run... homeward I hope...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait *bows*. It has been a bit hectic on my side and me trying to write another oneshoot (which at the moment has 5.800 words, goal being 12k words) really does not help with the update.   
> Besides I think I am a bit stuck with this story. I do not know what is happening anymore. xD I mean my goal was to get Eren and Levi together… Well I did get them alone… but now what? The poor babies are running from the titans and I do not see any point to it xD Oh well, I will have to figure something out.

* * *

There was a lull and a wet feeling. It was warm but damp. Eren groaned as his consciousness slowly returned. He heard some muffled sound – a name? Someone was calling out a name? Whose name?

“-en”

His head felt like a lead and his eyes refused to open. The occasional sting on his cheeks did not help his head either. It was becoming quite annoying actually. He willed his hand to move and he blocked the next slap by swatting the annoying something away that was hitting his cheeks.

“-ger, you…. –er.. snap…out…it”

Eren furrowed his brows and concentrated on the words he was hearing.

“Kid,” the voice trailed off. “This is fucked up.” There was some sound of water sloshing around and Eren felt his back settle against something firm and warm. “It is getting ridiculous… You hear me, fucking brat? Of course you do not, shit.” There was a sharp intake of air and then a warm breath ghosted over Eren’s right ear. “I should just dunk you and let you drown, you know?” Eren felt how a hand that was holding him tightened on his chest. “Not that I would, I am just a big talk, you know. Fuck, good thing you are unconscious.”

“Um... Corporal?”

Levi jerked in unexpectedness and his hand momentarily let go, which resulted in Eren’s head submerging under some liquid. A second later he recovered from the slight scare and tugged the flailing teenager up to the surface.

“Impeccable timing like always, Yeager,” Levi’s tone was sarcastic.

Eren blinked, trying to regain his vision and smirked before answering, “And you are quite talkative, corporal.”

“Shut up, bra–”

“HOLLY SHIT!” Eren suddenly screamed and started flailing in the warm liquid, breaking out from the corporal’s grip. He managed to turn around and was ready to clamber over the corporal if he had to, to get away from the sight that greeted his eyes.

“CALM YOURSELF,” Levi raised his voice and the teenager stilled. 

Eren never heard Corporal Levi raise his voice before, which was enough to snap him out of the panicked state. His turquoise gaze settled on the smaller man, trying to regulate his breathing. Levi was scowling, he noticed, but there was a slight gash on his left cheek. Eren unconsciously reached out and caught a few blood drops from under the wound.

Levi took a shuddery breath. He was tempted to just swat the hand away but he simply let the brat caress his cheek. The whole situation was throwing him off the balance it seemed. He did not know what to expect next and the way things were going… Well they were not going to make it back… ever…

“What happened?” There was a soft inquiry from Eren.

“You did not transform.”

Eren nodded, he remembered the cave collapsing, when he was about to bite his hand. He was too late. Levi pushed him away from a falling boulder. They both fell on the ground. Then there was a titan snout just in front of them, all grinning in a happy blissed out smile, then teeth then… darkness.

“What…? No,” Eren shook his head. He pretty much knew what had happened. The titan had eaten them, judging by all the blood and disintegrating bodies around them. He remembered the first time he was eaten. How scared he was, how angry he was, how he failed in his very first real mission. He lost his leg back then… Later his hand was bitten off; finally, he was eaten…

Eren’s eyes suddenly widened. He snapped out of his thoughts and grabbed Levi’s shoulders slightly shaking the smaller man. 

“You… Did… I… that is, your Hands? Legs?”

“Stop shaking me, you idiot, I have a rib broken!”

“Fractured,” Eren automatically corrected the corporal.

“What nonsense are you spouting about now?”

“Are your arms and legs ok? I mean, did the titan… Did he bite…” He trailed off, looking expectantly at Levi.

The man sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, too tired to care that his expressionless façade was crumbling.

“My limbs are fine,” Levi sighed and glanced to his right, “though your left arm is not.”

“Huh?” Eren was confused for a few seconds then his eyes traveled to his own left hand and he gasped. 

There was only a stump – no fingers, no palm… and his wrist was slightly smoking.

“Well,” Levi drawled still looking at Eren’s slowly regrowing hand, “at least you have your regenerative abilities. In an hour or so it should be restored.”

“Mmm…” Eren hummed still thoughtfully gazing at his stump. It did not hurt. “So what are we going to do now?”

“I read your file, Yeager, you have been in a situation like this before, so you tell me.”

“I turned into a titan…”

“So turn into a titan again, as I do not feel like testing whether a titan has gag reflex or not, when I shoot the grapple hook to its throat.”

“Riight… I was alone back then though… What if I step on you? What if I…”

“I will kick your ass if you–”

“What is the fascination with my ass?” Eren blurted out before he could stop himself.

“Eren,” there was a distinctive warning in Levi’s tone. He opened his mouth to say something but then seemingly changed his mind and closed it with a snap. He simply shook his head. “That is probably our only way out, kid. Even if I manage to somehow get up there with the 3DMG, I will not be able to force-open its mouth. We will have to take the risk of you shifting, or be... digested or whatever that thing does until it shits us out.”

“Ugh, I would rather we live,” Eren said with scrunched up nose. His eyes landed on his slowly smoking stump. There was no time for waiting. They had to do it now or never.

Eren took a deep breath and looked around once again. The sight was just as gruesome as the previous time. Bodies all around, the redness… His gaze traced upwards but all he could see was darkness. Well, duh, the titan did not walk with his mouth open all the time. He took another breath and looked at Levi, who was watching him expectantly.

“Well, here goes nothing,” Eren lifted his hand to his mouth and was about to bite down on it, when he felt Levi’s fingers on his upper arm.

“I trust you,” Levi’s eyes were serious but his tone was the same as always – flat.

Eren’s heart skipped a beat and his breast filled with warmth. If he was hesitant before, now he was determined. He could do this. Everything will be all right. As long as they are together and as long as corporal trusts him, they will be all right. They will make it back to the wall. They will be safe. 

“Your trust is not misplaced, corporal,” he whispered to the man and bit hard into his hand.

“I hope so,” the man said when a bright flash filled the titan stomach.

Everything went in a blur, in a matter of mere seconds. He felt himself pushed harshly against a huge palm, fingers curled loosely around his form and the formed fist flew up and out of the titan’s head. A few minutes later the fist uncurled letting the man step out of the palm on the smoking ground. 

Levi looked around. There was a shredded carcass of a titan a few feet away from him. Blood was strewn all across the clearing, smoking slowly, dissolving into the air and purging the ground of the gore. He turned around, facing the shifter boy, who was at the moment in his titan form and silently watching him.

“We should get going, Eren,” Levi shouted up at the kneeling titan. “This will attract other titans and we better get our asses as far as possible before that happens.”

Eren grunted and placed his hand on the ground, palm facing upwards.

Levi understood the invitation and climbed on the proffered hand. 

Eren stood up and brought the corporal to his chest. He seemed to hesitate for a few seconds as if not knowing what to do with the small burden in his palm. Then he curled his fingers loosely around the corporal, shielding him from the wind that will be blowing as he will be speeding through the fields. He started running.

Levi seated himself on the palm and huffed out a strained sigh. All the movement was not very good for his slowly mending rib. It was not the right time to complain though. He closed his eyes and tried to think.

Alright, so they were in that forest, then they got eaten by some titan… who was fighting with other titans. What the hell did that mean? Yes, a question to be pondered at a later time. Now, they were eaten… and they spent some good 3 hours inside the stomach. All that time, the titan was moving. So they traveled quite some distance.

Levi opened his eyes again and peered through Eren’s gigantic fingers. The scenery was not familiar. Were they even heading to the right direction?

Eren grunted, a rumble coming from deep within him and travelling up his chest. 

Levi looked up. All he could see was Eren’s neck, chin, and a mass of longish hair blobbing about him as he ran. He frowned. Eren wanted to communicate something to him but he was not sure what.

Eren suddenly changed running direction and Levi fell on his side, grunting in pain. He quickly pushed himself up on his hands and scanned the surroundings. He saw an aberrant charging at them with its long hands swaying merrily at its hips and with an eerie smile plastered on its face.

A battle was unavoidable now. Not good. Levi was being a hindrance. Even if he was transferred to a shoulder or other place on Eren, the titan shifter could not utilize his full strength.

Aberrant was now on Eren’s heels and Levi was about to tell him to just let him go, so he can use his 3DMG, when Eren spun around and smashed a fist into the titan’s face with such force, that he punched a hole through it. The heavy body fell down on the ground with a shuddering thump and Eren jumped on his head, trampling on it a few times. The skull of the titan was now just a puddle of red goo and the slumped body started to evaporate.

“Well that was gross,” Levi whispered to himself.

Eren turned away from the carcass and started running again. A few more titans appeared but they were dealt with in a similar manner. When the sun started setting the pair finally found a cave that was quite sturdy looking and Eren changed back. They walked inside.

Again they were lucky enough to find a small pool of water inside it and they both took turns to bathe. 

A rucksack survived through this whole ordeal as the corporal did not let go of it when they were eaten. They still had the blankets and some water. After sharing the water they both curled up in their respective blankets and prepared for a long night.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh... was it ok I wonder... I do not know anymore... *bows her head and strolls away*


	8. In the Cave – Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi get to talk a bit... and something more

“Eren,” Levi quietly called out to the teenager, whose back at the moment was turned towards him. Once the name was out of his mouth, the man held his breath hoping that the boy was already asleep and did not hear him.  
  
“Hm?” Eren hummed sleepily and Levi mentally cursed himself.  
  
He had no idea why he called out to the teenager. He just… wanted to talk, probably? Levi did not know himself. One moment he was fighting his consciousness, trying to fall asleep, the next he was calling Eren’s name.  
  
“You are not asleep,” Levi frowned at the statement that tumbled from his lips. Well, obviously the boy was not asleep if he answered.  
  
“Not yet,” Eren shuffled in his makeshift bedding and turned to face his superior. The cave was dark already and since they had not bothered with the fire he could barely see the older man. “Was there something you wanted to say?”  
  
Levi’s brain short-circuited for a moment. “You did well today,” he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.  
  
“Oh? You think so?” Eren mumbled somewhat embarrassed as Levi was not prone to praising him.  
  
“Well, obviously, _I do think so_ , otherwise I wouldn’t have said it.”  
  
“R-right.”  
  
“You,” the captain hesitated, “you fought well even though I was a liability to you. You saved our asses, out there.”  
  
Eren tugged his blanket closer and buried his nose into it. “I just did what I had to.”  
  
Not quite knowing what else to say they both remained silent. Eren’s thoughts drifted to the corporal. Now that he thought about it, it was a good opportunity to get to know the man. He had always idolized him, but after the time spent in the Scouting Legion, Eren realized that the man was only that – a man. A soldier, who was exceptionally skilled and harsh with words… sometimes with fists too, but otherwise just a man – not a hero. He could get hurt just like any other soldier; he had feelings like any other normal person. Levi was simply hard to approach. He was also hard to get along with but if Eren was right, the man was slowly opening up to him.  
  
“Corporal, may I ask you a question?”  
  
“You just asked one,” the corporal huffed then said, “but sure, go ahead.”  
  
“Um, how come you joined the Scouting Legion?”  
  
Levi shifted to lie on his back trying to find a more comfortable position for his abused ribs. “I was scouted by Irwin, you could say. He was the one to sign me up.”  
  
“Hmm… I also heard you were a thug before joining. Is that true?” Like a small kid, who was about to hear a long awaited story, Eren shifted a bit closer to the corporal.  
  
Levi chuckled. “Who did you hear it from?”  
  
“Just… well, some people were talking. I know it is just a rumour. I mean, you do not look like a thug or anything but… I am just curious.”  
  
“It depends on what you would call a thug. I had gathered some people around me, hung out with the wrong crowd from time to time, stole some supplies from the soldiers, had a few scuffles but mainly the group I rounded up fought with the titans–”  
  
“What kind of supplies?” Eren interrupted the story.  
  
“3D Maneuver Gear, for example, or some food rations. I was a rebel,” Levi shrugged. “The gear helped a great deal in the long run. Besides, if someone picked a fight with me I did not hesitate to fight back. That is probably where I earned the thug title. In reality, I simply fought titans and led people I trusted outside the walls. Just like I do now, though back then I did not have the support of the government. Sometime later I met Irwin,” the corporal trailed off.  
  
“I see…” Eren’s thoughts jumped from the image of a young corporal leading his team beyond the walls to the corporal, who was lying in a small cave, injured and his teammates dead. Eren’s breath hitched and his throat tightened. “I am sorry…” he whispered.  
  
“Hm? What are you sorry for, brat?” Levi frowned at the sudden change. He couldn’t tell what the boy was thinking about. Just a few minutes ago he had eagerly listened to his story and now he was apologizing? It made no sense.  
  
“It is my fault that your team is… that they are dead,” Eren squeezed his eyes shut, when he heard Levi shuffling in his bedding. “If only I have shifted… I should have changed back then but I hesitated, I left them… I–”  
  
“It is not your fault,” Levi said in a whisper and sat up in the bedding.  
  
“But it is! I could have–”  
  
“I could have, I would have, I should have… It is too late to change anything, Eren.” Levi’s tone wasn’t harsh. It was quiet, sad but resolved at the same time. “It was their decision; they made a decision just like you did. They were soldiers, they knew the risks and they chose to follow their orders. What is important, however, is that you are alive and that their effort was not in vain,” Levi let the words hang in the air and then remembered his earlier thought. “And not all of my team members are dead, Eren. You are alive and you are a part of my squad too. I still have you and you still have me.”  
  
Eren opened his mouth to say something but felt a cool finger press against his lips, effectively silencing him.  
  
“Say no more,” Levi whispered in the darkness. “Let it go. You are not at fault.”  
  
Once the finger retreated Eren licked his lips. “Neither are you, corporal.”  
  
Levi did not say anything in return. He lay back down and silence settled over them once again, both men deep in thought. A few minutes later Eren whispered a muffled ‘thank you’, to which Levi answered with a little hum and an involuntary shiver.  
  
“Corporal, are you cold?”  
  
Levi opened his mouth to snap at the boy with a witty comeback but then changed his mind and closed his mouth shut. He watched the teen, who in turn watched him. The brat was sharp. “A little,” he whispered truthfully as he realized that it was indeed quite cold tonight. He noticed how Eren stilled, probably not expecting this kind of answer. Then the teenager rustled about in his bedding and shuffled closer to Levi, lifting his blanket up in a silent invitation to join.  
  
Levi stared for a moment and considered to simply huff and turn down the boy’s innocent gesture but did he really want to?  
  
“Corporal?” Eren faltered, his cheeks gaining some red hue. He acted without much thought and now that he stopped to think, he realized that it was Levi, his corporal, whom he just invited to join under the same blanket. “Uh, never mind me, sir, I just–”  
  
“Shut up,” Levi untangled himself from the poor bedding and joined Eren under the blanket. He dragged his own blanket over and draped it on top of Eren’s. He then slung his right arm over Eren’s warm torso without any hesitation and snuggled closer.  
  
Eren’s throat went dry. His hand hovered above the corporal’s now curled up form, pressed to his side, and hesitated. He did not know where to put his hand. Levi was warm and now his warm breath tickled his neck. They fit together nicely.  
  
Eren’s eyes widened at the last thought. His cheeks heated up a notch. What was he supposed to do now? He looked down at the corporal, who seemed quite comfortable in his current position.  
Levi could feel how strung up Eren really was and the entire situation suddenly made him smirk. He felt how Eren’s hand hesitantly descended on his lower back, still above the blanket, and twitched. Levi was suddenly tempted to snuggle up even closer to the warm body at his side. He resisted the urge but his hand moved on its own accord, tightening on the teenager’s torso.  
  
Eren’s breath hitched. He could not believe that Corporal Levi was actually a cuddly type. This thought made him huff in a half laugh, which attracted Levis attention.  
  
“What?” his question was muffled against Eren’s neck.  
  
“N-no, it is nothing.”  
  
“Eren?”  
  
“Hm?”  
  
Levi struggled with words. Once again he had opened his mouth and let Eren’s name slip out. Was he really going to ask about it? No, it is none of his business. “Have you ever had sex?” Levi blurted out, eyes going wide but retaining his usual tone of voice. He tried to appear calm and not tense up, yet he held his breath waiting for an answer.  
  
Eren felt like a bomb had just been dropped on his head and he only managed to squeak out a weak _what_?  
  
“Did I stutter?” Levi droned.  
  
“No, I just… Did you really just ask me that question?”  
  
Levi huffed against his collarbone, warm breath tickling Eren’s skin. “So have you?”  
  
Eren’s lips were dry. “No,” he managed to whisper, “I have not.” His mouth opened again, instinctively wanting to ask Levi have you? but stopped himself just in time. For crying out loud, the man was twice his age, of course he had been intimate.  
  
“Why?” Levi seemed to be unable to stop himself.  
  
“Wha–”  
  
“Why haven’t you?” The corporal interrupted. “I mean, aren’t you curious?” Levi tilted his head a little and tried to glimpse Eren’s bright eyes. “You can see teenagers making out almost on every corner of the street these days. Well, cannot blame them. Who wants to die a virgin? All these battles with shitty titans and what not… So, why haven’t you? Do you want to die a virgin?”  
  
Eren knew he was as red as a tomato by the time the questions rolled of off the corporal’s tongue.  
  
“No, I…” He licked his lips and tried to gain at least a little bit of composure to formulate the answer. “It’s just that I did not really think about sex too much?” He formed it as a question as he really did not know himself. “I mean, I was more interested in getting stronger and be able to kill titans than… than having sex.” The last part of the sentence was uttered in a whisper. “There was no time for these activities.”  
  
“Really now?” Levi’s voice was soft. He couldn’t help himself as he slid closer, pressing his whole body against Eren’s, lips pressing against the tanned collarbone. “Have you not thought about it at all?”  
  
“Of-of course I have,” did Levi really just kiss his neck? “I have thought about it… but I never acted on it. Finding someone is also not easy, I mean, I couldn’t just come up and say: ’hey I wanna fuck with you, let’s go to my room’. Besides,” he heard Levi chuckle against his neck, “the trainee girls were a bit stuck up and not interested in sex… Or maybe they just did not show any interest in me,” Eren added as an afterthought and frowned. “I do have anger issues, and Mikasa always following me around did not help one bit. And… oh my god, am I really talking about my sexual life with my corporal?” Eren groaned in the silent room.  
  
“Would you like to try it?” Levi’s hot breath against Eren’s skin was making him feel strange.  
  
“What?” Eren asked not quite comprehending. “What do you mean?”  
  
“Would you like to have sex now?”  
  
“With you, sir?” Eren asked all flustered.  
  
Levi chuckled humorlessly. “Would you rather with a titan?” He almost shuddered at the image that presented in his head.  
  
Eren sputtered, “Of course not!” the teen fidgeted a little. “But– ”  
  
“Eren,” Levi whispered, “look at me.”  
  
Eren lowered his eyes and met corporal’s gray ones. His breath hitched and his throat went dry but he could not look away from the gaze that was directed at him.  
  
The corporal leaned in and his lips touched Eren’s. They were soft and the teen could not stop a soft sigh-moan that escaped his lips. The sound was eagerly swallowed by Levi’s lips that now moved in a slow, sensual dance against Eren’s. The boy felt the tip of Levi’ tongue brush against his lips and wetly slide against them. It felt good. A moment later, with a soft last peck these warm lips retreated and Levi opened his eyes, gray pools locking with turquoise. Eren’s heart was thudding in his chest. Their noses were almost touching. Eren felt how warm breath ghosted over his moist lips and his head reeled.  
  
Levi’s brows furrowed a little. The teen did not return the kiss.  
  
“Eren, was this your first kiss?”  
  
Eren’s eyes widened. Yes, admittedly he was quite naïve and lacked experience in this kind of department, but he was not as inexperienced as to not have kissed before.  
  
“Of course I have kissed before,” he said in a huff against corporal’s lips that were still hovering above his.  
  
“Then why did you not respond?”  
  
Eren blushed and broke the eye contact. The heat flooded his face. “That… um, I was surprised just now and I… uh…” he stammered, trying to come up with something to say. He was too shocked to do anything, and well, he was enjoying the feel of Levi’s lips against his... Maybe if the kiss had lasted a second or two longer, he would have answered. He felt a moan of frustration bubble up in his throat but did not let it out.  
  
Levi watched Eren struggle for an answer and decided to say something, when the realization hit him. Suddenly it was so painfully obvious that Eren was so young and inexperienced. He felt as if his breath was knocked out of him as he understood what he had just done. He tried to seduce the teenager and coax him into having sex with him. And for what reason? Just because he was caught up in the moment? Because he wanted to be comforted? Levi’s blood ran cold. He almost forced himself on the boy.  
  
Eren glanced at the corporal, expecting a comment about how he did not manage to put words into a proper sentence – or something along these lines – but there was only silence. The look of terror on Levi’s face, however, made him worried. Eren’s heart skipped a beat and he jumped to say something, anything at all to just get that emotion out of his face.  
  
“Corporal Levi, I really li–”  
  
Levi’s eyes focused on Eren’s frantic blue-green ones and he suddenly pulled away from his face as if burned. “Forget it.”  
  
“Eh?”  
  
“Forget this ever happened between us,” Levi turned away from Eren and settled in for sleep. He did not go back to sleep under his own blanket but he put as much space between himself and Eren as he could.  
  
Eren’s heart was beating wildly in his chest. _What the hell did just happen? Why did Levi suddenly_ … His mouth opened to ask Levi what was wrong but then he noticed how tense corporal really was. He faltered. He knew the man did not want to talk about it and if he were to push it, he would just anger Levi. His heart squeezed. _Why did I not reciprocate that kiss?_  
  
  
TBC


End file.
